Some service providers are delivering telephone, television, Internet and other services through fiber optic networks. A fiber optic network may include a fiber optic cable that is run to a customer's home and an optical network terminal (ONT) at or near the home at which the fiber optic cable is terminated. The ONT may be installed on the outside of the house or inside on a wall in the basement, garage, or other room in the house. In some instances, the ONT may be freestanding, i.e., not attached to a wall.
It may take hours for a service provider to install an ONT, run or drop a fiber optic cable from the existing fiber optic network or more specifically from the nearest telephone pole or ground-based terminal to the ONT, and to conduct any necessary wiring within the house. Reducing the installation time would reduce cost for the service providers. Another possible benefit for a reduction in the installation time may be improved customer satisfaction. Also, the wait time between when a customer requests a hook up and when the service provider could be at the customer's house to install the fiber optic cable may be reduced if the installation time is reduced.
Although many customers would prefer for the service provider to do the installation while the customer is not home, the presence of the customer is usually required to indicate to the service provider where the customer prefers to have the ONT mounted.